The Court of Appeal sitting in Abuja has annulled the 14-year jail term imposed on Harrison Ndika Uchenna, an official of the Nigerian Midstream Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA), after he was convicted by the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court on charges of forgery and using forged documents.

In a unanimous ruling, a three-member panel of the appellate court also overturned the trial court’s one-year prison sentence or N50,000 fine for Uchenna’s conviction on criminal trespass.

The judgment was delivered on an appeal marked: CA/ABJ/CR/634/2022, filed by Uchenna against the judgment handed down on October 11, 2021, by Justice Yusuf Halilu of the High Court of the FCT.

Uchenna had been prosecuted by the police on five counts, which included giving false information to the police, engaging in forgery, using forged documents as genuine, and criminal trespass.

Upon his arraignment, Uchenna pleaded not guilty to the charges.

However, at the conclusion of the trial, Justice Halilu convicted him on all five counts.

The trial court sentenced Uchenna to two years imprisonment or an option of N50,000 fine for counts one, three, and five, while counts two and four related to criminal trespass and the use of forged documents as genuine resulted in a 14-year prison sentence without the option of a fine.

In the lead judgment of the Court of Appeal, Justice Peter Obiorah partially allowed the appeal filed by Uchenna’s lawyer, Dr. Ogwu Onoja (SAN).

Justice Obiorah stated that the trial court erred in convicting Uchenna on the charges of forgery, using forged documents, and criminal trespass, as the prosecution failed to prove these offences beyond a reasonable doubt.

As a result, Uchenna was acquitted on counts three, four, and five, which involved forgery, using forged documents as genuine, and criminal trespass.

Justice Obiorah, however, upheld Uchenna’s conviction for counts one and two, which related to providing false information.

The appellant, Uchenna, has since appealed this decision to the Supreme Court.

In the certified true copy (CTC) of the judgment, delivered on September 23, Justice Obiorah said: “I have resolved issues one and two in favour of the respondent (the prosecution).

The effect is that the conviction of the appellant by the trial court on counts one and two, which are offences bothering on giving of false information, is correct.”

“In the same vein, I have resolved issues three and four in favour of the appellant. This means that the conviction of the appellant for the offences of forgery and criminal trespass by the trial court cannot stand. Consequently, this appeal against the judgment of Halilu, J. of the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja in Charge No. FCT/HC/CR/171/2018 delivered on 11th October, 2021, succeeds in part.”

“The conviction and sentence of the appellant in respect of counts one and two of the charge whereby the trial court imposed a sentence of two years imprisonment with an option of fine of N50,000.00 in respect of count one, and one year imprisonment with an option of fine of N50,000.00 in respect of count two, is hereby upheld and affirmed.”

“The conviction and sentence of the appellant in respect of counts three, four and five of the charge, whereby the trial court imposed a sentence of 14 years imprisonment without option of fine for counts three and four, and sentence of one year imprisonment with option of fine of N50,000 for count five, is hereby set aside. The appellant is hereby discharged and acquitted in respect of the conviction on counts three, four and five,” Justice Obiorah concluded.

Justices Hamma Barka and Abba Mohammed, who were also part of the panel, agreed with the lead judgment.

Two residents, Taofeek Olatunbosun and Rafiu Abdelmalik, were severely beaten by officers of the Nigerian Customs Service and military personnel at a checkpoint along the Badagry-Seme Expressway on Sunday, December 1, 2024, after being caught recording a video.

The security operatives suspected the victims of working as informants for journalists covering smuggling activities on the road. Olatunbosun and Abdelmalik, both transporters, had stopped to refuel and were attempting to update their customers about their location when the incident occurred.

Olatunbosun explained to Vanguard, “We were on our way to Apa when we stopped at a fuel station. My customer kept asking where we were, so I asked my assistant to record a video to send to him. Suddenly, someone tried to grab the phone from my assistant, which caught the attention of the officers at the checkpoint. They accused us of recording videos for journalists investigating smuggling activities.”

The officers then took the two men to a nearby location and contacted Officer Adamu Zakari, a soldier, who arrived and allegedly recognized Olatunbosun, even mentioning knowing his brother.

Despite this, he reportedly threatened to kill Olatunbosun’s brother if he ever saw him again.

The situation escalated when Zakari expressed disbelief at their story and suggested that they should have been killed and dumped in the water, leading to a violent beating.

Abdelmalik, the second victim, added, “I was just following my boss’s orders. One of the smugglers working with the security operatives slapped me and tried to take my phone. We were dragged to a secluded spot near the checkpoint where the officers tortured us, demanding to know which journalists we were planning to send the video to.”

The victims were only saved when nearby residents, alarmed by the brutality, called the police.

Abdelmalik said, “If the residents hadn’t intervened, they would have killed us.” It was later revealed that the same officers had previously warned journalists in Badagry not to report on smuggling activities.

This incident follows an exposé by journalist Fisayo Soyombo, which highlighted the alleged involvement of the Nigerian Customs Service in facilitating smuggling along the Lagos-Badagry Expressway.

Soyombo’s investigation showed Customs patrol vehicles at checkpoints allowing smugglers to pass freely with goods like rice, chicken, and turkey, while also raising concerns about the possible trafficking of illicit drugs or weapons.

In response to the incident, Abdullahi Hossein, the Public Relations Officer for the Seme Border Customs, assured Vanguard that the officers involved would be immediately withdrawn from the checkpoint.

He added, “What they did does not represent our values, and we take full responsibility for their actions.” Regarding the involvement of military personnel, Hossein said, “Because of the sensitive nature of some patrols, we have military personnel working with us. I’m not certain if they were involved in this incident, but we will take responsibility and urge the victims to contact us.”

A group of armed kidnappers reportedly attacked a GIG bus in Kogi State on Saturday, kidnapping multiple passengers.

The bus, traveling from Lagos to Abuja, was intercepted by the gunmen near Obajana, just before reaching Lokoja.

According to reports, the kidnappers seized all the passengers on board, while the bus driver managed to escape unharmed.

One of the kidnapped individuals’ friends took to social media to plead for help, revealing that the gunmen had demanded N100 million for her friend’s release.

“Please, I need your help. My friend, who was attending her convocation in Benin Republic, was kidnapped while returning from Lagos to Abuja. This happened around Lokoja, Kogi State. The kidnappers are asking for N100 million for her release,” the friend wrote on X (formerly Twitter).

“The driver fled the scene. Please, I beg for your help. No amount is too small. Help me bring my friend back.”

A source close to the situation confirmed that the abductors were demanding the same ransom amount for each of the passengers.

Another social media user, who claimed to have witnessed the attack, shared his experience.

“I drove past the scene shortly after it happened. The bus was abandoned with only the driver left. It happened just after the Dangote refinery at Obajana, heading towards Lokoja. The vehicle’s windshields had been shattered.”

The company, GIGMobility, acknowledged the incident in a statement, expressing deep concern over the attack and its impact on those involved.

They called on the authorities to provide assistance in resolving the matter.

“We are deeply affected by this incident and similar occurrences. We appreciate your concern and are actively working with the relevant authorities,” the company said in their post.

The authorities are yet to comment on the progress of the investigation or any efforts to secure the release of the victims.

The Nigeria Police Force (NPF) has refuted claims linking its officers to a viral video showing uniformed personnel scooping fuel from the wreckage of a crashed tanker.

The force clarified that the individuals in the video were not Nigerian police officers, but rather uniformed personnel from a neighboring francophone country.

In a statement issued on Monday by the Force Public Relations Officer, ACP Olumuyiwa Adejobi, the NPF explained that the personnel in the footage, who were wearing camouflage uniforms similar to those of Nigerian police, were speaking French, not a Nigerian language or English, which further confirmed their foreign origin.

“The viral video circulating on social media showing uniformed personnel in camouflage collecting fuel from an accident scene is intended to tarnish the reputation of the Nigeria Police Force,” Adejobi stated.

“We wish to make it clear that the individuals in the video are not our officers. They are personnel from a neighboring francophone country, whose uniforms bear a resemblance to those of the Nigerian Police.”

The NPF condemned the spread of misleading and unverified content, emphasizing that such actions harm the reputation of the police force.

The statement also stressed that the Nigeria Police Force, under the leadership of the Inspector-General of Police (IGP), remains dedicated to professionalism and maintaining public safety.

“We strongly condemn the circulation of disinformation designed to discredit the Nigeria Police Force. These actions not only damage the integrity of the force but also negatively impact the nation as a whole”.

“The Nigeria Police Force remains committed to upholding discipline, professionalism, and the safety of all Nigerians. Any actions that tarnish the reputation of the force will not be tolerated.” he said.

The NPF urged Nigerians to verify information before sharing it, advising caution to prevent the spread of false narratives and to safeguard the credibility of institutions tasked with ensuring public safety.

“We call on Nigerians to be cautious and ensure the accuracy of information before passing it on. This is crucial to promoting national unity and preserving the integrity of institutions working hard to maintain public safety,” the Force added.

A devastating fire broke out in the early hours of Monday, destroying the only market in Trademore Estate, Lugbe, Abuja, leaving residents in shock and distress.

The fire, which reportedly started around 3:30 am, quickly spread throughout the market after the Abuja Electricity Distribution Company restored power.

Despite efforts by residents to alert emergency services, the flames had already consumed much of the market before help arrived, according to reports from Channels TV.

While the exact cause of the fire remains unknown, eyewitnesses have speculated that an electrical fault may have been the cause.

Joe, a resident of Trademore Estate, who was one of the first to spot the blaze, described the situation as chaotic.

“I was alerted at 4 am, and by then the fire had already spread. We couldn’t immediately figure out the cause, but we think it might have been an electrical issue,” he said.

Attempts by residents to contact both the Federal Fire Service and the Federal Capital Territory Fire Service initially went unanswered.

However, the fire service from Dunamis Church arrived at the scene around 5 am, followed by fire crews from the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission and Sauka Station.

After two hours, the combined efforts of the emergency responders successfully brought the fire under control, preventing it from spreading further.

As of the time of this report, the full extent of the damage and the value of goods lost in the blaze remain unclear.

Residents and traders now face the challenge of assessing the damage and recovering from the loss.

Authorities have yet to release an official statement about the incident.

This fire comes months after the estate experienced significant flooding. In June, heavy rains submerged much of the estate, leaving numerous homes inundated.

Social media videos circulating on Monday suggested that two individuals were swept away by the flood, though this remains unconfirmed.

The Trademore Estate has a history of flooding, with the June 2023 flood severely affecting over 100 homes in the area.